All my seeds are planted for peppers and tomatoes, and I think all the peppers that are going to sprout have done so. I really scaled back from what I started last year. Between giving tomato plants away and what I planted in the garden myself I had more than double what I needed. I planted 62 seeds late on the 16th, and I need 38 total plants for what I am planning on putting in the garden and plants I am starting for other people. This is what I planted:

• 4 – Black Cherry
• 5 – Sungold
• 4 – Yellow Submarine
• 5 – Carbon
• 6 – Purple Russian
• 3 – Vorlon
• 3 – Orange Icicle
• 5 – Golden Sunray
• 5 – Chernomor
• 6 – Cherokee Purple
• 5 – German Red Strawberry
• 5 – Cuor Di Bue
• 3 – Pantano Romanesco
• 3 – Black Icicle

Quite a few of those are new to me this year; Yellow Submarine, Orange Icicle, Chernomor, Cherokee Purple, German Red Strawberry, and Black Icicle.

Yellow Submarine is supposed to be a better tasting version of Yellow Pear. I liked the yellow pear until I tasted the Black Cherry and the Sungold. After that they just tasted bland to me, the only reason I picked them (and I did leave a lot to just fall off) was to give away in my tomato “gift baskets.” I am doing 4 cherry tomato plants this year, and all 4 of them will be front and center (four rows of tomato plants planted 6 deep) so we can reach them from the yard and pick them easier. The 4th one is Reisentraube from Erika, and I am looking forward to that one too.

If you look at my list I have an abundance of purple tomatoes. I could not believe the flavor I got from the purple tomatoes. If you ever get a chance to grow Purple Russian I highly recommend it. I think it is the best tasting tomato I have ever had in my life, and there are a lot of fabulous tomatoes. Chernomor is another Russian tomato, and this one is a potato leaf plant. It has gotten very good ratings, and everything that I grew last year from Russia/Siberia/Ukraine grew fabulously in our climate. Essentially this is replacing Black Krim in my garden which did not grow well for me.

Everyone raves about Cherokee Purple so I had to order some seeds for it. Black Icicle was just a new offering from Baker Creek and I loved Purple Russian so much I had to try another roman candle type of tomato. I figured if I am going to try the purple version of it I might as well give the Orange Icicle a try too.

I ordered and planted German Red Strawberry based on Erika’s recommendation, and I am trusting it is good as I am starting some for two other people as well.

This is what sprouted for peppers:
• 6 – Chocolate Habanero (1 questionable)
• 11 – Red Habanero
• 5 – Suave
• 5 – Serrano (1 questionable)
• 2 – Fresno
• 3 – Sunrise/Sunset
• 4 – Jalmundo
• 8 – Grande Jalapeno (2 questionable)
• 6 – Purple Jalapeno (3 questionable)

Now I am planning on growing two each of the Habaneros, two Suave, two Serrano, one Fresno, one Sunrise/Sunset, three Purple Jalapenos, two Grande Jalapenos, and two Jalmundos. 6 of those are for hot sauce, the rest are for salsa. There really isn’t much difference between the Jalmundo and the Grande jalapeno. Both of them are productive producers with larger than average jalapeno pods.

The Purple Jalapenos are my favorite pepper. I will need to get more seed for next year as I used what I had left. I hope the seedlings perk up and pick up or I will not have any to share.

I love this time of year!